CSN

Daycare workers move toward an unlimited strike

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The approximately 300 educators at CSN-affiliated early childhood centres in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine gathered for a general assembly on March 19 to vote on a strike mandate that could lead to an unlimited general strike. 

Educators from 12 daycare centres in the region staged their fourth and fifth strike days on March 18 and 19, following a mandate issued last fall. “The educators will discuss the steps needed following the government’s blockage regarding the renewal of the collective agreement and the improvement of working conditions,” says Serge Saint-Pierre, President of the CSN Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Central Council. 

“We see that at the bargaining table, even though there have been discussions, nothing justifies a return to work. The workers’ minimum demands have not been met,” added the union leader. The results of this mandate will be announced nationally as soon as possible. 

The workers are demanding, in particular, a lighter workload; better compensation to ensure attraction and retention; regional disparity bonuses for employees in certain remote regions; measures to improve the quality of childcare, including clearly defined and respected ratios between the number of educators and children, as well as better support for children with special needs. “Our first three days of strike action weren’t enough to make the government see reason. The region’s childcare workers are therefore going to raise their voices with a new strike mandate. Every time we take action, we make progress at the bargaining table. We continue to make our voices heard for the future of childcare centres,” says Katie Leblanc, Vice-President of the Baie à Maria Childcare Workers’ Union. 

The workers had issued strong strike mandates last October and November in the region.  According to the CSN, the average salary for a childcare worker is $29 per hour.  In addition to the strikes of March 18 and 19, previous strikes took place in January and February 

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CSN protests against the private sector health care

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

CHANDLER – On February 26, the CSN protested against the privatization of the health care and social services network, outside the Chandler office of the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin. The protest was part of the CSN’s “For a Truly Public Network” campaign. 

Serge Saint-Pierre, president of the Centrale des syndicats nationaux (CSN) regional council for Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, points out that the network has undergone numerous reforms for over 30 years, the last one being the one that led to the creation of Santé Québec last year. 

“We have always advocated public health care rather than private health care,” Mr. Saint-Pierre points out. 

In the Gaspé Peninsula, the union representative notes that some doctors have left the public network for the private sector. “We are afraid that with the reform that has begun, there will be more and more. When we talk about the private sector, we are talking about profit and people have to pay. The government says it won’t cost anything, we will pay the bill. Everywhere the private sector has set up shop, costs have increased and users have had to pay,” notes the president, who wants to raise awareness among users. 

“At some point, they will be forced to take money out of their pockets if we make more and more room for the private sector,” adds Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

“In the private sector, when cases are too heavy, we return them to the public sector. They only take cases with the possibility of making money, that is to say, cases that are not too heavy,” maintains the union representative. 

The CSN criticized the lack of access to local MNAs Catherine Blouin (Bonaventure) and Stéphane Sainte-Croix (Gaspé). 

“We wanted to talk to the Members of the National Assembly and it was never possible,” he says. 

With the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre facing a $40 million budget cut, Mr. Saint-Pierre says essential services will be affected. 

“Cutting $40 million in the Gaspésie makes no sense. There are people who will not be able to afford to get treatment, who will not receive services at the local level,” says Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

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Strike by CSN-affiliated daycare educators 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – On January 23, at least 150 of the 300 daycare educators in the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands, affiliated with the CSN union, demonstrated in the streets of Gaspé, to activate the renewal of the collective labour agreement, which expired on March 31, 2023. 

As a result, parents who have children attending one of the 12 early childhood centres (CPE) in the region had to find alternative childcare for the day. 

This is the first day of strike action out of five adopted last fall. “It’s satisfying to see so many educators mobilized. This proves to us that almost all early childhood educators need better working conditions, better support for children in difficulty, and better pedagogical support. They need better working conditions in general,” states the president of the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Central Council of the CSN, Serge Saint-Pierre. 

CPEs are struggling to recruit workers, as is the case for the new 71-place facility in Chandler, which is only operating at 25% of its capacity due to the inability to recruit enough staff. 

“We see that in large centres, educators are leaving to go work at places like Walmart or Costco, where they are paid more and the workload is much less,” explains Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

“If we want economic development, if we want regional development, one of the problems we see is the lack of places in early childhood. The government can resolve this issue and make it a priority. That’s what it said it would do a few years ago. We’re still waiting for the results,” says Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

The educators also visited the office of Gaspé Member of the National Assembly Stéphane Sainte-Croix to present their demands. 

“We need early childhood centres. The network isn’t sick, but we’re having trouble retaining workers and attracting them to fill vacant positions. It’s having an impact on the region’s economy to accommodate the children of parents looking for work. Workers aren’t returning to the workforce because there aren’t any daycare spaces,” explained Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

At the negotiating table, some sector-specific issues have been resolved, but no salary offers have been made by the employer. 

Meanwhile, other CPE workers’ unions have settled with the Quebec government. “It’s a matter for the negotiating committee. Why did Quebec settle with the small CPE unions and not make a final offer with the CSN? We have the impression that they want to drag out the negotiations,” believes Gaétan Leblanc, regional vice-president of the CSN’s Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux. 

The union still has four more strike days that can be used as needed. 

The workers are demanding a lighter workload, better pay to ensure attraction and retention, regional disparity bonuses for employees in certain remote regions and measures to improve the quality of services to children. These include clear and respected ratios between the number of educators and children, as well as better support for children with special needs. 

In Quebec, 13,000 educators affiliated with the CSN were on strike on January 23. 

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“Open the ICU to save lives” Lachine demonstrators demand

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Demonstrators gathered once again in front of the Lachine Hospital as part of the “Save the Lachine Hospital” effort to restore all services needed in the community-based hospital. Protesters were joined by municipal and provincial public officials, the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN), the Lachine Residents Association, the Save the Lachine Hospital committee and multiple elected officials.

Just over a year ago, advocates for the Lachine hospital led by Dr. Paul Saba called for the reopening of the emergency room (ER) that was closed to ambulances and throughout the evening-morning hours. The ER was reopened following a resolution at the National Assembly last April that guaranteed all services at the Lachine hospital as a fully functioning community hospital, however the ICU was never reopened.

“The ER is not fully functional without an ICU to sustain it,” Saba explained to The Suburban. Dr. Saba was reluctant to name the MUHC as he has been the recipient of intimidation tactics for speaking publicly in the past, but as he was pressed by The Suburban for an explanation as to why the ICU was not reopened at the time of the ER reopening given that all speakers clearly demonstrated its need, Saba stated carefully “they need to be made aware of the importance of the ICU within the framework of a fully functioning hospital offering emergency services and hopefully that message will be made clear today.”The Suburban asked if the MUHC was not aware of the essential need of a functioning ICU to support the operations of any ER. Saba simply shrugged and motioned his refusal to speak further.

“The ICU is the only way to have complete healthcare services to offer the population. It is important that healthcare workers express themselves freely about what is really happening in the health and social services sector. The government has opened the doors to private healthcare services while neglecting the public sector. Health services are fundamental in all of our lives, regardless of social economic class,” CSN president for the Montreal sector Dominique Daigneault explained to The Suburban.

“The ICU is the heart of the emergency. Without intensive care we need to call up other hospitals and put patients who need immediate intensive care in ambulances instead,” Lachine hospital nurse Etienne Lebeau said. “The most sick and in need of critical care are currently being transferred out while in a critical state,” Lachine hospital ER nurse Marylene Beccherini explained.

Entertainment legend, author and influencer Sheldon Kagan attended the demonstration in a show of support. “It is incredible that after all these years advocates need to go back over and over to explain the need for its services. As part of the MUHC, it makes no sense that they can’t enable them to operate the facilities that they require and people have to go to hospitals much further away to get the care that they need. Lives can be lost while they are being transported to other hospitals when the Lachine hospital clearly wants to take care of them. It is a tragedy that all services have not been reestablished,” Kagan told The Suburban.

Lachine Mayor Maja Vadonovic focused her remarks on the optimistic perspective of the new construction taking place which promises to bring top of the line healthcare services including a palliative care unit and a training centre for family doctors to the Lachine Hospital but the former mayor of Lachine Claude Dauphin who currently sits on the Save the Lachine Hospital Committee says without the ICU, it’s just a “big new Mercedes without the tires”.

“Our hospital needs to serve our citizens. When I see the occupancy of other hospitals and this one only operating at 65%, why can’t this hospital help support others around it,” MNA for Marquette Enrico Ciccone stated in response to The Suburban. n

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